wee ones

It will be so great because they are going to be close in age and will play together and will be best friends forever! Won’t that be great? Sure, in a few years! But right now having a new baby along with a wee one at home can feel like stress on level bazillion!

You Can Do It

This isn’t your first rodeo. You’ve done the new-baby thing and know how it works, but this time you also have an ankle biter around wanting all of your attention, too. The first few months can be a test of wills, sleep deprivation, hormone surges, and milk production. Talk about stress! You need to control what you can control and limit your stress with these tips:

• it’s coming One thing every mom should know is to expect the unexpected. Be prepared for everything and don’t expect things to go exactly as they did with your first baby. Oh, and that normal first-born angel of yours isn’t guaranteed to not show signs of a demonic possession with the appearance of a new bundle of joy. Be ready!

• relax It’s okay to make friends with the dust bunnies and let them stay awhile. Relax your normal standards of cleanliness and don’t feel guilty about it. You have lots going on and something has to give. A little dust never killed anyone…sneezing yes, but death, no!

• enter at own risk Establish visiting rules. Your friends and family will be looking to help, but if visiting gets to be too much, feel free to display the figurative “do not disturb” sign. Those close to you will understand.

• take care of you With all the mothering you are dishing out it’s easy to forget numero uno. Don’t do that. You are no good to anyone if you are no good to you! Get out of the house. Accept help from those offering. Take a bath. Have a date night. Anything to recharge your battery and feel good about you.

If you find yourself really struggling and need professional help, don’t wait! Call your trusted physician for advice. Parenting can be very stressful and there is no shame in asking for help so you can be the parent you want to be.

Your tot has been growing by leaps and bounds. Blowing by milestones has been a piece of cake for your achieving guru. But bring home the new baby and your tot has made a U-turn toward regression. What’s up with that?

hey…remember me?

A new baby brings joy to a family. She also brings change and stress. Even if you have done your best to prepare your tot for his impending sibling, odds are he is going to demonstrate some behavior changes. Our tots definitely feel jealously, anger, and frustration, but verbally expressing those emotions isn’t so easy. Instead they act out. It all comes down to attention and your tot wants it. Here are some tips to keep your tot moving forward:

• keep cool Don’t overreact. Your tot sees the baby getting all the attention. He thinks, “I want mama to pay attention to me like the baby. Hum…maybe I should act like a baby too!” He isn’t trying to be devious or naughty, so don’t freak out. Negative attention is attention and overreacting to his regressive behavior could provoke more bad behavior.

• that-a-tot If your tot has been demonstrating regressive behavior, make sure you praise his big-tot behavior. You have to make it clear to your tot that acting like a baby doesn’t cut it. You want attention? Act like a tot and mama will recognize and praise those good behaviors.

• lil help Get your tot in the game to help with the baby. He can help fold blankets, retrieve diapers and wipes, and pick up the occasional fumbled passie. Responsibility can go a long way.

• same-o-same-o A new baby can really put a wrench in everyone’s schedule. Do your best to limit the